INQUIRY ONE

Dear Sarah,

I read in the Døtre av Norge that you have kindly offered to help families find their ancestors. I am looking for specific information on my great grandfather and I hope you might be able to help me.

My quest is to differentiate between two men who may be my great-grandfather and to find information on the boat he and his family left Norway on.

What I need to locate is any United States records on Ole Olson Bjordnasplassen, especially any records of his date of birth. He also may have used the name Ole Olson Rundbraten, which is the same name of another man in Norway, causing the confusion. I know that if the birth date recorded here in the US is the same as the birth date recorded in Norway, then that is the same man. If the birth dates are different, then it is not the same man. I do know that Ole Olson Bjodnaplassen was born in Holera, Valdres District, Norway, on February 20, 1831 on the Bjodnaplassen tenant farm, later called Upper Olmhusplassen, by which it is still know by many even though the name was changed again, this time by law to Oppheim, when the tenants were permitted to buy land.

Ole married Olea Arnesdatter on May 10, 1861, in the Bagn Lutheran Church, Valdres District, Oppland County. [Bagn, Sor Aurdal Parish Register, 1849-1876, page 188, number 9: Ole Olsen Rudsbraten, age 30 and Olea Arnesdatter Bjornspladsen, age 19. His father was Ole Olsen and her father Arne Olsen.] At the time of his marriage, he used the name Rundbratten, but we have no record as yet of them living on the Rundbratten farm. After their marriage, Ole and Olea moved to a small farm in western Bagn called Vesset (the Danish spelling), which was part of a larger farm called Dyvesateren or Dyve-saeter (Danish name - Norwegian is Juvesater, I believe). While living on that farm, they used the last name Dyvesaetereie.

Bagn, Oppland, Norway Parish Records Film #307315: Baptisms:

  1. Ole, born July 6, 1863, baptized July 26, 1863. Witnesses Ole Olson Dyvesaeter,Ole Anderson Heste-hagen,Ole Olson Fluebraten, Ingeborg Olsdatter Boleshaugen or Hagen, Guri Arnesdatter, Ole Olson Sorfalten.
  2. Andreas,born December 30, 1866, baptized March 17,1867. Witnesses Guri Arnesdatter, Bjorn Olson Olmhuseie, Marit Olsdatter Kalsgot, Syver Syverson, Harald Thomasson Skal.
  3. Kristine, born August 2, 1874, baptized September 20, 1874. Witnesses Ole E. Torsrud, Ingeborg Olsdatter Hovdet, Torn Olsdatter Dolvensbraten, Berit Olsdatter Dolvensbroten, Ole Olson Dolvens-braten.
  4. Elias,born August 2, 1874, baptized September 20, 1874. Witnesses Ole O. Prestbraten, Knut O. Dyvesaeter, Anne A. Dyvesaeter, Ingeborg O. Hovedet.

In 1875, they were living on a smaller farm, Skalshaugen, which was part of a larger farm, Skal. The family then used the name Skahls-haug. On July 25, 1877, it is written in the Bagn parish record their intention to emigrate to the United States, this time using the name Rundbratten. On August 3, 1877, they left Norway with their four children on the boat Angelo, recording their destination as Wisconsin on the passenger list.

The first U.S. record of Ole's family appears when their son Knut, was baptized on February 2, 1878, in the Hauge Log Church near Dalyville, Dane County, Wisconsin, using the surname "Skalshaug." [Hauge Log Church records are located in the Perry Lutheran Church in Daleyville, Wisconsin. Knut's birth is recorded as December 20, 1877 in Volume II, page 34.] The family was not likely a member of the church and was temporarily in the area at the time.

The family lived in Iowa County, Wisconsin for some time, appearing in the 1880 Federal census under the name "Oleson." By 1882, they had moved to Viking Township, Trail County, North Dakota. The oldest son, Andrew, was confirmed in the Bruflat Lutheran Church there on December 17, 1882. (Old Bruflat Church records are stored in the basement under the stairway). [Bruflat Church Book 2: Page 128: Andreas born December 30, 1866 in Aurdal, Norway, baptized March 17, 1867, confirmed December 17, 1882. Parents Ole Olsen and Olea. (The family used the name "Olsen."); & Page 204: Ingeborg A. Hellum and Ole O. Skal were married October 4, 1883. Ole was born July 6, 1863 in Aurdal, Norway and parents were Ole O. Skal and Olea.] (The family now used the name "Skal.")

We believe that the elder Ole died while the family lived in the Portland, North Dakota area, but we have not found any record in the church or cemetery. They may have changed churches after the old Bruflat church burned. There are rumors that Ole had tuberculosis and died in a weakened condition in a snowstorm.

The next record we have is of Olea Skahl and her daughter living with her son, Knut Skahl, who had purchased property in Cavalier County, North Dakota. Lena Skahl, Ole and Olea's youngest child, was born on May 1, 1884 (date from her tombstone).

I would like to know the following:

  1. The birth date recorded in the US of Ole Olson Bjodnaplassen, aka (also known as), Ole Olson Rundbratten, aka Ole Olson Skahl, aka Ole Olson Skhal, AKA Ole Oleson, aka Ole Olsen.
  2. Is there any death record of Ole, probably as Ole Olson, in North Dakota, between 1883 and 1887.
  3. The destination, no doubt in England, of the boat Angelo after leaving Oslo, Norway. This was a relatively small boat unsuited for ocean travel, which undoubtedly landed at an English port.
  4. The port in England and the name of the ship to which passengers of the Angelo would transfer for passage to the United States. I have tried to search records for the family on boats which came to the US between September 1, 1877 and December 15, 1877, but have not found the family listed.

Thank you for any attention you give my request.
Daughter # 7

ANSWER TO FIRST INQUIRY:

Dear Daughter #7,

First, I would like to commend you on the thorough research you have already done on your family. You have been very clear and concise with your documentation and information. This is a classic situation in which a number of aka's are really the same family. Because they were tenant farmers and moved from farm to farm in Norway, they took on the farm names of each farm as they moved. When they came to the United States, they were sometimes known by a farm name and sometimes by their patronymic name, Oleson or Olson. Sometimes you will find that family members will go by different surnames here in America (i.e. father takes farm name, son takes patronymic and another son takes another farm name).

Now, to solve your problem. First, let us draw up a timeline with what we already know:

  • February 20, 1831: Ole Olson Bjodnasplassen born Holera, Valdres, Oppland
  • May 25, 1842: Olea Arnesdatter Bjornspladsen born Sor Aurdal, Oppland
  • June 12, 1842: Olea baptized Sor Aurdal;
  • May 10, 1861: Ole Olsen Rudsbraten and Olea Arnesdatter Bjornspladsen married in Bagn, Sor Aurdal
  • July 6, 1863: son Ole born Sor Aurdal
  • July 26, 1863: son Ole baptized
  • December 30, 1866: son Andrias born Sor Aurdal
  • March 17, 1867: son Andrias baptized
  • August 2, 1874: daughter, Kristine born Sor Aurdal
  • August 2, 1874: son, Elias, born Sor Aurdal
  • September 20, 1874: daughter, Kristine baptized
  • September 20, 1874: son, Elias, baptized
  • July 25, 1877: Ole and Olea's intention to emigrate to Wisconsin recorded in Bagn parish record
  • August 3, 1877: Ole and Olea and four children leave Oslo for England on the Angelo
  • February 2, 1878: son, Knut baptized Hauge Log Church, Dalyville, Dane County, WI
  • 1880: Iowa County, Wisconsin, Federal Census;
  • December 17, 1882: son, Andreas, confirmed in Bruflat Church, Portland, North Dakota
  • October 4, 1883: son, Ole O. Skal married in Bruflat Church, Portland, ND
  • May 1, 1884: youngest daughter, Lena born;
  • unknown date: Olea Skahl and daughter living with son Knut in Cavalier County, ND (probably 1900 census because Knut would be 22 years of age)

What does this timeline tell us?

  1. Kristine and Elias are twins.
  2. There is a large gap between 1867 and 1874 which indicates the possibility of one or two children who were born and died.
  3. Olea was at least 3 months pregnant when she left Norway. It is likely that Knut was probably born in late December or early January 1878. It would be required or asked for his birth date during this time period.

There is an 1885 census [The Dakota Territory 1885 census: Traill County index, 211 pages; compiled by Jane Skjei. Fargo, N.D.: North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies, © 1992.] which may be helpful. Another source might be: LDS film #1036214, Yesteryears in Traill: A History of Traill County, North Dakota. Hillsboro, ND: Traill County Historical Society, © 1976, 2 volumes.

Have you consulted the bygde-boker (genealogy and history of the people and farms in Sor Aurdal) from the Valdres area?

  • Gard og bygd i Sor Aurdal by Jon Ola Gjermundsen. Sor Aurdal: Valdres Bygdebok Forlag (Valdres bygdebok; 1)
  • Forsats: Utsyn over Bagn med Reinli i bakgrunnen. Baksats: Utsnitt av amtskart ca. 1850
  • Ryggtittel: Valdres bygdebok 1. Innhold: Bind A. Reinli og Vestre Bagn -- bind B. Kyrkjebjørgo, óstre Bagn, Leirskogen, Dølve og Hølera–bind C. Garthus, Tollevsrud og Strømmen–bind D. Hedalen og Vassfaret

Have you contacted the Valdres Samband (a bygdelag group in America comprised of descendants of Valdres ancestors) which publishes the Budstikken. The genealogist, Betty L. Rockswold, 1522 Greenwood Court North, Eagan, MN 55122 can help you by searching the bygdeboker and she will provide you with information about the Valdres Samband. Her phone number is 1-612-452-6029.

In regard to their passage, I believe the Angelo was a "shuttle-ship" which carried the family to Hull on the east coast of England. They would then have taken a train across England to Liverpool, located on the west side, to depart. Unfortunately, the passenger lists from England were destroyed in World War II. It was usually less expensive to take ships' passage to Canada than to the United States. Since they were going to Wisconsin, I presume that they arrived through the Port of Quebec. There is no index for the year 1877 but the original records from the Public Archives of Canada in Ottawa have been filmed by the LDS and, for the years 1877–1879, the film number to order is #0889450. For other years, consult the LDS library catalog under: Quebec – Emigration and immigration, and Canada – Emigration and immigration. I believe that since you have already searched the New York arrivals, Quebec is probably the port of entry.

I hope this helps,
Sarah